Author's Note:  The music from Dragon Age Inquisition - Journey to Skyhold inspired this scene.  Listen to it yourself and see if you can see what I see.

***

As cold and lifeless as a sheet of durasteel, the morning sky offered no hope to the surrounded troopers. Defenders of the Galactic Republic, their formerly pristine white armor was splattered with the same dark mud that caked the outside of their blasters. The previous night's rain had turned the defensive trenches into pits of ankle deep sludge. Reinforcements had been promised for weeks, but none had arrived, only more rain and the constant assaults of the Separatists' robotic armies. The droids didn't need to sleep and had been attacking them without pause all through the night, lightning and blaster fire illuminating the driving rain and puddles of mud in flashes of brilliance.

Dawn approached, but only the droids were ready for more. Another attack wave was marshalling at the top of the hill. The Republic forces had taken countless casualties during the last month of brutal fighting, but their lines had yet to break. As the weary defenders looked upon the fresh ranks of the enemy, their shoulders slumped, many were still breathing hard from the last wave.

Commander Wolf climbed the short ladder on the edge of the trench to stand atop the defensive emplacement where he could be seen by all. His armor was distinctive as it was marked by a grey stripe down the left side of his helmet and chest.

"Soldiers of the two hundred eleventh," Wolf began. With his voice being transmitted to all of their helmets, he didn't need to shout, and he kept his tone strong and resolute. "We have held longer than anyone thought we were capable of achieving. We have cost the enemy time, equipment, and pride for they have been forced to remain here, with us grinding down their numbers and keeping them from attacking other fronts. While we may never know, our efforts here may well have allowed other forces to endure, perhaps even succeed, where they might otherwise have fallen to these reinforcements."

Wolf turned to gaze at the enemy ranks, lining up shoulder to shoulder for what would certainly be the final assault.

"Our efforts here have not been in vain," Wolf told his troopers. "Nor shall they be today. We shall hold them as long as we can stand and pull a trigger. We shall not fail in our duty to the Republic or to the cause of freedom for which we fight."

Soldiers began to stand straighter, their hands tightening on the grips of their blasters as the sun began to rise over the horizon.

"We will make them pay for every inch of ground they take, for every life lost to them, and for all those innocents who will suffer as long as these enemies exist," Wolf promised. "This battle may be costly for us, but we will make it even more so for them!"

The cheer of the Republic soldiers was nearly drowned out as the droid armies of the Separatists began their forward charge. Before the battledroids could get into range, a deafening roar filled the air as a fleet of transports broke through the clouds and descended upon them. Standing in the open hatches on the transports were squads of Jedi, lightsabers ignited and ready for battle. As the transports swooped in low, their gunners clearing swaths of robotic opponents with bright green lasers from the side mounted turrets, the Jedi jumped from the open hatches and landed in the middle of the Separatists' forces.

Green, blue, and gold lightsabers cut through mechanical soldiers with ease, turning them to scrap, melted and burning. The Jedi were relentless, rushing forward in a wave, their blades weaving around them in a blur of speed and light. The tide of Jedi swept through the enemy ranks, cutting down all in range.

Republic troops shouted in victory as their hated enemy was torn apart. What had been certain defeat and inevitable death had been changed to assured success and triumph for the Jedi had arrived.